Thinking of getting a humidifier to use at night while the air conditioning is turned on. Anyone know of a good, simple (no fancy stuff like fragrances, ionizer, etc), and low-maintainance model to recommend?
I don't have a particular model to recommend, but I would recommend that you get the steaming type of humidifier. It may use more power than the ultrasonic or "swirling" type of humidifiers, but the steam it produces is pure water and does not contain impurities or microorganisms. It is also easier to maintain as boiling the water to create the steam effectively ensures that the unit is sterile.
Hmm I notice ultrasonic humidifiers seem to be popular among the baby shops and some health product brands like Braun....
They take up less space, and don't require so much power. Plus, they are "safer" in that they are not hot to touch. However, the lack of boiling (which produces the steam for the steam-type of humidifier) means you either have to regularly clean the humidifier or it will end up being a reservoir for nasty microbes, which will continuously get dispersed into the air.
I would recommend you to have a look on eBay and such other sites to have a look at models available in different brands along with their price and then decide.
